How
LENS
Local, Ecological, Natural, Sustainable...
We design and build with certain principles, based on the belief that building should be a force for good.
Good for the local communities in which we build, for the physical and mental wellbeing of those who build and live in our homes, good for the local economy in the way we source materials, and who we employ as our trade partners, and last but not least, good for the planet.
We call it LENS, but what does this mean in practice? Below are a few examples.
Local.
- Locally grown timber for cladding.- Certification of locally grown timber for structural framing.
- Locally sourced stone (left).
- Other materials sourced locally where possible.
- Local trade partners.
- Use of traditional building techniques local to each project.
Ecological.
- Partial or fully off grid services.- Non toxic materials.
- Constructed wetlands for grey water treatment (right).
- Composting toilets.
- Rain water harvesting.
Natural.
- Wood fibre insulation.- Non-toxic building boards.
- Untreated timber.
- Dry and Wet Stone walling .
- Clay plaster/flooring.
- Lime render/mortar.
Sustainable.
- Minimal use of concrete, particularly in our foundations (right).- Concrete replacements - for instance limecrete.
- Concrete blocks, where necessary, with recycled aggregate.
- Sustainable design to utilise passive services (for instance passive solar gain).
- Minimal waste through conscious management of materials.
- Optimum use of resources through close coordination between design and construction.
Our website is updated regularly with more information. In the meantime please feel free to contact us if you wish to build, or simply want to know more about, healthier buildings.